President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is not afraid to set foot in Davao, despite it being the bailiwick of the Dutertes, according to Palace Press Officer Claire Castro.
During a briefing on Monday, Castro said Marcos is the leader of the entire nation and will provide assistance to all those in need.
‘The Davaoeños are kind-hearted fellow Filipinos. We know that they have compassion and that they can recognize those who genuinely help them,’ Castro responded, speaking in Filipino, when asked how confident Malacañang is about Marcos’ safety during his visit to the region given his clash with the Dutertes.
‘The President is not afraid to go to Davao because the Davaoeños are our countrymen, and they are the ones in need of help right now. So let’s not turn this into a political issue meant to scare the President from going to Davao,’ she also said in Filipino.
Earlier in the day, Marcos visited Davao Oriental to lead the distribution of assistance to those affected by the recent magnitude 7.4 and 6.8 earthquakes that struck the province.
According to Castro, the President led the turnover of P158.3 million in cash assistance for the municipalities of Manay, Banaybanay, Lupon, Mati City, Tarragona, and several other towns.
Marcos has an ongoing rift with his former political ally, Vice President Sara Duterte. The tension further escalated when former President Rodrigo Duterte was arrested and detained by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands, last March.
Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte also lashed out at Marcos, calling him ‘ungrateful’ after former President Duterte allowed the burial of Marcos Sr. at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City in 2016 despite public outrage.
Davao City First District Rep. Paolo ‘Pulong’ Duterte, meanwhile, warned the Marcos administration that it should be held accountable if anything happens to his father while detained at the ICC. /jpv